THE LATEST VIOLENCE LINKED TO NEXT YEAR'S ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA HAS KILLED AT LEAST 15 PEOPLE IN TWO SOUTHERN STATES, LOCAL LEADERS AND POLICE SAID ON MONDAY. GANGS SPONSORED BY TWO RIVAL POLITICIANS FROM THE TOWN OF BODO IN OIL-PRODUCING RIVERS STATE HAVE BEEN ATTACKING EACH OTHER WITH AK-47 RIFLES, MACHETES, AXES AND BROKEN BOTTLES OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS, A LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADER TOLD REUTERS. "THESE ARE FACTIONAL CLASHES BETWEEN TWO CULT GROUPS WHO HAVE THE BLESSING OF TWO BODO POLITICIANS WHO HAVE AMBITIONS FOR 2007," SAID THE LEADER, WHO DID NOT WISH TO BE NAMED FOR FEAR OR REPRISALS. IN NIGERIA, THE WORD CULT MEANS GANG. "SEVEN OF THEM HAVE BEEN MURDERED. THE RESIDENTS ARE HIDING IN THEIR HOUSES IN TERROR," HE ADDED. IN A DIFFERENT PART OF RIVERS, FIGHTING BETWEEN RIVAL GANGS FROM THE EMOHUA AND OGBAKIRI COMMUNITIES KILLED SIX PEOPLE, ACCORDING TO A SENIOR POLICE SOURCE WHO SAID A POWER STRUGGLE BETWEEN LOCAL FIGURES ANGLING FOR OFFICE IN 2007 WAS A FACTOR.
